The Color Purple
by Dreamer25
Summary: Who stood by Alec in his time of need? He has no idea. M/A *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter One

A/N: Dark Angel is owned by Cameron/Eglee Productions – not me.

A/N: Most of my stuff is posted at http://nunswithpens.hyperboards.com but I thought it would be fun to post at least one of my stories here. This particular story was the result of a strange challenge brought up during chat regarding purple socks. 

This one's for you, Zac!

He wasn't sure by what miracle he had made it into his bed. Or home at all for the matter, but even more miraculous was the fact that he had finally found a way to do it. Proper motivation was key of course, but when it came right down to it, the mechanics were actually quite simple - transgenic speed and a near continuous supply of scotch. 

Alec was plastered. Beyond plastered. He had quite nearly drunk himself to oblivion, which was of course the plan; regrettably it didn't quite work out that way.

The alcohol had temporarily robbed him of coherence and consciousness. What it didn't do was ease the pain. If anything, it just made it more confusing. More terrifying.

Their faces in life, melting into their faces in untimely death by his hands.

His hands.

Pulling the trigger.

His hands.

Slicing the jugular.

His hands.

Planting the bomb.

His hands.

Now he stared down the barrel of his target's gun – taunting him with the promise of relief and retribution.

"Do it," he screamed into the night, "Do IT!"

But instead of the rip of lead, his forehead was met with a soft gentle touch, smoothing his brow, whispering words of comfort; the wave of compassion sending shudders through his body.

"Rachel."

Her hand ran soothing circles through his hair, her lips kissing the wetness from his cheeks.

"Your going to be okay." 

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I'm sorry," over and over and over, finally trailing off into a deep stupefied sleep.

"I know."

ÚÚÚÚÚÚÚ

The haze lifted slowly with the dawn, light from the unusually bright morning sun casting a painful orange glow right through his lids. Nothing like a transgenic sized hangover. If it didn't hurt so much, he would've made a mental note never to do that again.

A sound nearby coaxed one eye open and Alec just caught a glimpse of a woman's foot as she bolted out the door. A shoeless foot. Wearing a purple sock, of all things. He sat up quickly to give chase. 

  
"Uh." 

He grabbed the side of the bed and closed his eyes waiting for his swimming head to stop pounding. 

The apartment door slammed shut. "Ahhhh." Really … _really_ loudly.

"A clean get-a-way," he said to the room. Cautiously he stood and when it became apparent that the apartment was in fact notspinning he grabbed his blue towel from the knob, "Hi-ho, Hi-ho."

ÚÚÚÚÚÚÚ

Max glanced at the vibrating pager, rolling her eyes.

"You better call him already," OC warned.

She thumbed the little black box, staring at the all to familiar number.

"You owe him that much." 

"You're right."

"But I don't like it," she added, sulking to the payphone. She had placed Alec as an unwilling wedge between her and Logan to keep him safe. That was the reason. And it still was, but now it seemed there was another reason. She didn't love Logan. The past few weeks spent largely away from him had made it abundantly clear. 

To her.

"Paged?"

"Yeah. About a thousand times. You never showed up last night. As a matter of fact no one showed up last night."

"I know. I'm sorry. We just …, " Max sighed. She really didn't want to get into all of this right now, "We had a little trouble with Alec at Crash."

_"Ah. Berrisford's suicide."_

"Yeah."

"Well. Least he's got you," Logan stated unsympathetically, "Right?"

Was that a challenge? Did he know her relationship with Alec was a farce?

"Yeah. Good thing."

_"So how is he?"_

"I don't know. He hasn't come in to work yet."

_"Look, have everyone meet me at Crash tonight. We'll go over the details of the job there," _he paused for proper effect,_ " That way I can be sure you'll all show up." _

"Fine," she agreed through gritted teeth.

ÚÚÚÚÚÚÚ

Having been flipped off twice on his way in, Alec entered warily, wondering whom else he might have pissed off during his binge. Why did every Jam Pony employee have to frequent Crash?  

Normal spied him immediately.

"Ooooooh, there's my boy," he bellowed, gesturing wildly.

Alec resisted the urge to cover his sensitive ears, but flinched all the same.  He held up his hand, "Hey, Normal, I, um, think I hear OC calling me."

"Oh, no you don't."

Alec turned with a ready smile, "OC!" only to be met by a seething glare.

"Hmph," she grumped on her way out the door.

Her cropped pants made it easy for Alec to sneak a peek at her ankles. Hm, no socks at all. Guess she could've taken them off when she got home.

"You'd better treat this fine young man with a little more respect, queenie," Normal squawked after her. 

Alec took the opportunity to escape to his locker, where Bitch #2 awaited with her arms crossed.

"Good morning, Max," he chirped.

"You look like shit."

"Yes, I do," he said, working the combination.

She watched him uncharacteristically fumble with the lock.

"You alright?"

"I think you know the answer to that," he quipped with a bright smile, doing his best to hide the frustration as he pulled on the lock for a second time and it again refused to open.

Max shoved him roughly aside, nimbly working the lock. He leaned over her shoulder.

"So, what'd I say to OC? She seems … less happy with me than usual."

A smirk grew on Max's face, "You told her you always wanted to firmly pack her brown sugar."

Alec cocked his head. Crass? Yes, but not too terribly bad.

"Then you stuck your tongue down her throat."

Alec groaned. Scratch OC from the list of possible caregivers. Max stepped away from his open locker, laughing.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

Alec glared through his lashes while he put his riding gloves on. This sucked.

Sketchy passed, grunting hello to Max and turning his back to Alec, sliding quickly by. 

Alec turned to Max with his palms up. 

*Help*

"Well, it would seem, even in your impaired state, not only did you beat him in ten straight games of pool, but you trash talked the whole time. Totally dissed him in front of a girl he was trying to impress."

Alec groaned again. 

"Guess I better go fix this." He took a deep breath. This was Sketchy right? How hard could it be?

"Sketch. My man."

Sketchy turned toward Alec, his mop top flopping a millisecond behind.

"Don't 'my man' me, man. You took every game, you took my money, but worst of all you talked me down, Alec," he said solemnly, looking his buddy square in the eye,  "You took my dignity and made me look bad in front of the ladies."

Alec scratched the back of his neck. 

"Look, I don't usually get drunk and …"

"I'm not interested in your excuses, dude. Friends don't do that."

No argument there.

"You're right. Let me make it up to you."

Sketchy looked both skeptical and hopeful at the same time.

"Really?"

"Just tell me what to do."

Sketchy looked at the wall for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.

"Be at Crash tonight."

Alec grimaced. The absolute _last_ place he wanted to be.

Sketchy turned in disgust, "Shoulda known you didn't mean it. Who cares? Its only Sketchy."

"No. No, I meant it. I'll be there," Alec grabbed his arm, "I'll be there."

Sketchy nodded, "Okay."

Alec shook his head, watching Sketchy leave. One down, completely unknown amount to go.

"Good morning, Gina."

  
SLAP

*Sigh*

 It was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: Dark Angel is owned by Cameron/Eglee Productions – not me.

Max, OC and Asha walked through Crash together, turning every head along the way to their regular spot at the bar.

Alec glanced up at the trio from the pool table, giving them a nod before gliding his cue stick expertly over his steadied hand lining up the shot…

And missing.

He shrugged boyishly at Asha's gaping jaw.

"Guess he found a way to make it up to Sketchy," Max laughed, as Sketchy bobbed his head up and down winking confidently at the girl by his side.

Alec then fixed a sheepish smile on OC, who promptly rolled her eyes and spun to face the bar.

"No good, arrogant, pretty boy, asshole," OC grumbled.

Max watched Alec stare at OC's back, knowing he heard every word. Sketch finally nudged him to take his turn.

"Don't be so hard on him," Asha pleaded.

"Hmph."

"You know Alec. It's not like him to get out of control like that. Ever. Something's wrong."

"Yeah, well--" OC turned from Asha to find Alec on the stool next to her, leaning against the pool cue between his legs.

"Oh no you don't. Bat your eyes somewhere else, 'cause it is NOT workin' on the Original."

Alec looked briefly at the floor, before trying again with twice the resolve.

"Uh-uh, forget it. Nothin' you say or do is gonna move me."

Alec nodded, "Well, I'm going to say it anyway. I respect you."

OC blinked despite herself.

"And I'm sorry," he finished sincerely, pausing for just a moment to squeeze her hand, before leaving to rejoin Sketchy.

"Except maybe that," OC muttered into her glass, "You're forgiven."

Alec and Max smiled simultaneously.

"Shouldn't he be here by now?" Max said.

Asha glanced at her watch, "Yeah. Probably punishing us for not showing up last night. He'll be here."

"I can't believe he sent you to come and get me," Max complained, leaning her back on the bar. "Hey," she said, tapping Asha on the shoulder with the back of her hand, "Go see what Alec's drinking."

Asha nodded knowingly, "I'm on it," grabbing her beer.

Sketchy placed his forearms on the edge of the table where Alec was bent over shaking his head analyzing the shot. 

"I can't miss this. There is no believable way I can miss this," he whispered forcefully, gesturing to the 4 ball sitting on the edge of the pocket, "I don't even know if its _possible_ to miss this."

"I have faith in you, man," Sketchy said quietly, clasping his shoulder, "But if you need some incentive, last night when I told you that you ruined my chance to get Gina's phone number, you yelled, 'I think I have it here somewhere'"

Asha appeared on his other side, "Then you proceeded to dig in every pocket of your cargos, tossing out handfuls of phone numbers giving the pool balls a ticker tape parade," she finished, taking a drink from his glass. Water. 

Alec looked at her appreciatively, touched by the action.

She laughed, "Oddly enough, I think you were actually trying to help."

"Come on," Sketchy whined impatiently.

Asha's grin turned mischievous, "I've got twenty bucks says you miss that shot," she challenged loudly.

"You're on," Sketchy's slinky companion husked in an alarmingly low voice, "He's bad, but there's no way he can miss that."

Alec dropped his forehead onto his hands over the cue stick. Ugh. 

"Whoa, now wait a minute, this is just a friendly little game here. No need to tarnish it with gambling," Sketchy hedged nervously.

"Are you kidding? Easy money, honey," slinky said, "Speaking of, show it to me." 

Asha placed her foot on the table and yanked up her pant leg, removing a soggy twenty from her sock. 

Her very purple sock.

*********************

"Hey Max."

"Logan."

"Glad you could make it."

"Well, Asha was nice enough to drop by, stand in the doorway, cuff me to her side and hold my hand until we got here."

"Yeah, you know, speaking of Asha and hand holding, I just saw her and Alec heading off to a dark corner together."

"Really?"

"Really."

Logan nodded repeatedly waiting for her reply. Max leaned over the bar and slurped her beer, drumming her fingers on the top of her head.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?" he said smugly, "I mean, he's your boyfriend, right? You're _with_ him. Aren't you?"

Max figured this to be awarded the most sarcastic conversation ever.

*********************

Alec dragged Asha to the quietest spot he could find in the busy bar, near the back door next to the broken jukebox in the corner.

"Alec, what are you doing? You owe me twenty bucks if that he-chick kipes my bill while we're gone."

"Asha…"

He pulled her hand up between them. Where to begin? How do you tell someone they quite likely saved your life? He wasn't real clear on many of the events from the previous evening – if any, but Alec knew he was in hell and the only thing that kept him from what he believed to be certain madness was her presence. Through it all he felt her kindness and comfort, soothing him, reassuring him. 

Keeping him safely from the edge.

"Your hands are shaking." Asha looked at him with real concern. This was so unlike the Alec she knew. He looked afraid or nervous. And … happy or … something.  She wasn't sure what. "Alec?"

Alec wrapped his arms around her small body, holding her tight.

"Thank you," he whispered breathlessly, "Asha, thank you."

*********************

Max watched from a safe distance. Her face flushed hotly. How much had Logan seen? There's no way he'd believe her and Alec were together now. She barely resisted the urge to throw something.  Every muscle and nerve in her body torqued to its limit. She wanted to scream. 

But why?

Max blanched as quickly as she'd reddened at the realization that her anger had nothing to do with her little ruse to keep Logan away going sideways.

She was jealous. Damn.

He was standing behind her. 

"Now," he said plainly, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

*********************

His hard muscled body felt remarkably soft against hers. All the right parts touching in all the right places. The perfect embrace, except for the fact that it was the wrong person. Just over his shoulder Asha noticed Logan laughing near the door where Max was angrily exiting. She and Alec had unwittingly blown her flimsy cover. 

Damn. That wasn't good for her or Max. 

"You're welcome," she said a bit confused, "What are you thanking me for?"

"Taking care of me last night."

"No problem," she smiled, loosely grabbing a tuft of his hair, "But I didn't do all that much. Just helped Max drag you outside."

Alec stiffened.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I did was easy. Max had the hard part, balancing you on her bike all the way to your apartment. I still don't know how she did it."

"Max brought me home?" he said more to himself than to Asha.

His mind was racing. It couldn't be Max. The socks. Asha was wearing the socks. It had to be Asha. He pulled away from her, holding onto her shoulders.

The pieces that didn't fit were beginning to wave their arms in front of him. He visualized the wet twenty she'd pulled from the otherwise dry sock. And her pant leg was damp, but her shoes were dry.

"Well, yeah. Didn't you know? Wow, you were even more toasted than I thought."

"Where did you get those socks?"

"Logan made me pick up Max tonight, like I'm her babysitter or something." Asha huffed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, "Anyway, I stepped in a big puddle outside of her building, so she loaned them to me. The shoes too. You know she's got like fifteen pairs of purple socks?" Asha shook her head, "Weird."

Max was the one who stayed with him.

Max was the one who'd held him. Protected him from his demons. 

And … kissed him?

Max?

"Excuse me."

Asha tapped him on the shoulder, as he brushed past.

"She went that way."

A review would make a dreamer's day J 


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Sorry it took awhile. I was out of town -but I'm back! I'll post the final chapter tomorrow.  
  
  
  
Max paced in the alley, *I need my bike* yet another reason to be pissed at Logan. There seemed to be more and more of those lately.  
  
A good ride was exactly what she needed. A get away.  
  
She sighed, *Maybe not*  
  
That was pretty much what she'd done her whole life. Get away. It was comfortable. Familiar.  
  
And lonely.  
  
Alec.  
  
From the moment he dropped into her life, everything changed. He bothered her - irritated her - infuriated her! But what she wouldn't admit, what she only recently realized herself is that with him around, she didn't feel so alone. In a relatively short amount of time her bond with him was as strong - or stronger than the one she had with her unit. Her family. It hardly seemed possible, yet there it was. Maybe it was because her siblings came and went, drifting in and out of her life, each time leaving her wondering if she'd ever see them again.  
  
Alec on the other hand .  
  
Max smiled even as she pursed her brow.  
  
She knew it would happen. Somewhere inside, she knew. Which is exactly why she'd been avoiding it.  
  
When she saw the news report on Robert Berrisford's suicide that morning it made her sick to her stomach, as memories of that night flooded her with regret. It hit her hard. She could only imagine how Alec was feeling. Then as the day rolled on with no apparent reaction from him, she wondered if maybe he hadn't seen it or maybe it wasn't quite the powder keg she thought. She was fooling herself of course, but it was her way.  
  
Their way.  
  
At Crash that night, he appeared to be pretty much his regular self - joking, flirting, kicking Sketchy's butt in pool. Then Normal stopped in to bring Alec his forgotten jacket. Couldn't have his gladiator catching a cold or anything.  
  
Alec thanked him politely and smacked him on the ass. Max closed her eyes in an attempt to shake the memory of a blushing speechless Normal.  
  
*Ew*  
  
After that she began watching him more closely and noticed him sneaking off behind the jukebox, knocking back entire bottles of scotch nearly as fast as most people did shots. From there it went quickly downhill.  
  
In under an hour he managed to piss off Sketchy, OC and every man in the building for all the attention he was getting from the countless females who thought they were special until the pool table was snowy white with their digits.  
  
It was time to reel him in.  
  
Asha actually came up with the master plan to get him to leave.  
  
*Asha* she steamed as present events momentarily interrupted her flashback. She kicked a defenseless garbage can into the brick wall and returned to her thoughts.  
  
Max latched onto one arm, Asha the other, then Asha whispered that one precious word that would blindly lead even a sober man to his death.  
  
Threesome.  
  
It worried her that even with an offer like that, he'd forgotten about it by the time they'd led him, lax and stumbling to her Ninja, deteriorating with every step. Guess the hours old metabolism vs. blur drinking question was answered.  
  
On their precarious ride to his apartment, Alec had to stop every two minutes it seemed to mark his territory on a dumpster or a building or most fittingly, a fire hydrant. She pressed her hands as tightly as she could over them, but her transgenic ears wouldn't allow her to block out a single drop. Was there racehorse in his cocktail?  
  
With nearly half their journey left, she could feel his lean getting heavier and they nearly dumped over when he passed out completely. Max stopped one more time to secure him, tossing his arms over her tiny shoulders like a professional Sherpa preparing for ascent. She wrenched her back a couple of times trying to compensate around corners without losing him. On top of that his hot drunken breath was blowing kisses to her cleavage and his dangling fingertips kept brushing over an unmentionable area.  
  
She shivered just thinking about it.  
  
Max quickly scanned the deserted alley and kicked the battered garbage can again.  
  
  
  
**********  
  
  
  
Alec stood in the darkened corridor playing a finger concerto on the metal push bar, still reeling from what Asha said.  
  
Of course it was Max. Who, besides the possible exception of Logan knew what was eating him? Right?  
  
It was Max.  
  
Still, no matter how much sense it made, he couldn't quite grasp it.  
  
Why couldn't it just be Asha? She was sweet, nearly always nice to him. There was some good fluffy potential there.  
  
But Max? She was a maddening, judgmental, hot little package of firecrackers that had a nasty habit of going off on him. Nothing fluffy about that.  
  
Exhilarating maybe. *Did I mention hot?*  
  
Alec spun away with both hands on his head, growling at his inability to walk through the door. She might not even be out there, he reasoned with himself. Maybe she walked home.  
  
He faced the door again and looked up at the flickering EXIT sign - echoing his indecision.  
  
"You're a big help."  
  
He sighed, *Max took care of me*  
  
It still didn't sound right.  
  
But the smile in his heart grew regardless.  
  
The sign suddenly shined steady as a beacon and Alec blinked, "Okay."  
  
He took a deep breath and pressed the heel of his hands on the bar.  
  
A loud crash came from the alley.  
  
Maybe he would wait just another minute.  
  
  
  
**********  
  
  
  
She knew it would happen. From the day they met there was some part of her that knew - which was exactly why she avoided it.  
  
Max blew out a deep breath, put her hands up and slowly in a very controlled manner, sat on the cold cement curb, replaying the events at Alec's apartment.  
  
She'd hauled him up the stairs, heaved him onto his bed and removed his shoes, jacket and shirt - all without so much as a groan from him!  
  
Done her duty, she did. Beyond the call really and she was nearly out the door when something told her - nagged her to stay, though she told herself it was simply to indulge in a little boob tube. So, she kicked off her shoes and watched a sitcom classic about superheroes.  
  
When it was over she checked in on Alec one more time. Leaning on the door jam, she smiled at the sight of him one arm slung over his head, a knee sprawled off to the side.  
  
Pale blue moonlight washed out all other colors, shading every curve of every muscle - and his face . so soft in sleep. Just hearing his deep even breathing over the still of his quiet bedroom filled her with a peculiar feeling of contentment.  
  
Then the guilt struck.  
  
She should have asked him if he was okay. That's what friends do. Whether he turned her away or not, she should've asked. What kind of message did she send by saying nothing?  
  
The pain he must've been in to pull stunt like that. A foolish, stupid, irresponsible, reckless stunt that could've --  
  
She closed her eyes to the anger that seeped into her peaceful moment and when she opened them again, she realized it wasn't anger at all.  
  
It was fear.  
  
Alec's eyes began to dart, rolling and bouncing his lids. His arms tried to move, jerking ever so slightly, paralyzed in a fitful REM. Max was tugged closer to his bedside where she silently stood - wondering where he was. Hoping it was somewhere good.  
  
Hope shattered, her heart lurched as tears darkened his lashes and fell to the pillow. Her hand flew to her mouth, *Oh, Alec*  
  
Then he cried out. And she knew where he was. Back in that chair, begging the father of his only love to shoot him. She dropped immediately to his side, unencumbered by second thoughts or calculated actions.  
  
Driven only by the overpowering need to ease his pain.  
  
  
  
Max pulled her feet up under her cold backside and watched rainbows swirl in the oily water that trickled slowly and noisily into the sewer grate.  
  
It happened.  
  
The feelings she stuffed away and ignored were staring her in the face.  
  
And there was no turning back.  
  
The big metal door abruptly banged open, springing a startled Max off her perch. Her dented metal scapegoat waited justly behind, toppling her ungracefully unto the sidewalk.  
  
The carefully constructed look of determination on Alec's face turned to bewildered amusement. 


	4. Chapter Four

Max fixed her gaze on a distant streetlight shaking her head. Unbelievable. She extracted her legs from around the can and gave it a pat, *Touche'*  
  
Alec was walking toward her; his approach darkened by the light over the door behind him, silhouetting his broad chest and shoulders that tapered down to a trim waist where she visualized his perfect abs right through his shirt, every hard rippling --   
  
Now would be a good time to peel herself off the ground.   
  
What is he doing out here anyway? Shouldn't he be with Asha? Max casually rose from her graceless position, wiped off her pants and leaned against the building, successfully appearing the exact opposite of embarrassed, unsure and unexpectedly hopeful.   
  
*Wipe that smirk off your face *, she bitched in her head.  
  
Alec advanced cautiously. With the anxiety and nervous energy he'd built up in recent minutes, the effort it took not to release it all in a fit of laughter was nearly painful. Though he couldn't help smiling at her nonchalance - standing there drumming her fingers on her crossed arms as if she hadn't just clumsily flipped into heap of garbage.  
  
He sat with his back to her on the curb not trusting himself to look her in the eye without making a smart-ass remark about her agile performance.   
  
"What do you want?" she said, harshly releasing some of her own energy.   
  
His head dropped at her tone as she sucked the humor from him. Max closed her eyes.   
  
"Sorry," she said, the word hardly rolling off her tongue, "I mean, shouldn't you be in there with blondie?"   
  
"Huh?" Alec turned slightly toward her and lifted his head as it hit him, "Oh, that. You've got it all wrong," he said looking her knowingly in the eye as he stood, "We're not like that."   
  
"Hey, I could care less what you and the bleach queen of Seattle are --"   
  
"I was," he interrupted leaning his shoulder inches from hers to face her properly, "thanking her. Nothing more."   
  
Max pushed her back to the wall and executed a long bored blink with a shrug for a twist, "Thanking her. Pleasing her. Whatever."  
  
Alec laughed quietly.   
  
"Something funny?"   
  
"Yeah. You see, apparently, I was thanking her for something that you did."  
  
  
  
"Oh?"   
  
Alec nodded.   
  
"Hm," she added with a hint of finality.   
  
He watched her carefully, waiting for an admission. A sign. Anything. But when it became evident she was perfectly satisfied to leave it at that, he pushed on.   
  
"You brought me home last night."   
  
Her quick shocked glance confirmed what he already knew. Her fingers drummed faster. Denying it now would be pointless.  
  
"Yeah, well, you were a mess."  
  
"Yes, I was," he agreed readily.   
  
"So, what gave me away?"   
  
"Purple socks."   
  
She mentally hissed, *I knew I wasn't fast enough*   
  
"So you saw Asha's --"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"That were actually --"   
  
"Yours."   
  
"And you thought --"  
  
He nodded, "But then she --"  
  
"Told you it was me."   
  
They nodded together.   
  
He pressed his back against the wall as well. Max looked down the street in the opposite direction then at the ground. Her fingers resumed their drum roll.   
  
Now what?   
  
"So. I've been wondering, you know, since then."  
  
Max stiffened.   
  
"Why purple?"   
  
She let out her breath, a modicum of comfort returning.   
  
"It's my favorite color."   
  
"I've never seen you wear it."   
  
She frowned and shook her head, "I couldn't wear it on the outside. It's . I don't know, personal. Intimate. There's just something about the color purple that's . I mean it's like ." she continued to shake her head, at a loss.   
  
"Anger," he said quietly.   
  
Huh?   
  
"And sadness," he added, "so mixed up . that you can't tell one from the other."   
  
An understanding smile crept onto her face as she studied his pensive profile, marveling at his simply profound statement, "Yes! That's exactly it."  
  
He tilted his head toward her, "Try not to sound so surprised. I may well be a proclaimed self-serving screw up, but if there's one thing I understand," he scratched the back of his head and sighed, "It's purple."   
  
"I know," she said seriously, "And you're not."  
  
He looked to the ground, processing what she just said.   
  
"Do you mean that?"   
  
"I do."   
  
Alec bit back the smile that threatened to take over his face. The silence that followed was less torturous this time around.   
  
Finally Alec raised an eyebrow, "So, uh," he feigned a peek down her shirt, "Anything else purple under there?"  
  
"Under where?" she joked innocently, twisting her upper body away from him.  
  
"Cute."   
  
He playfully grabbed for her, seizing nothing but air as she blurred away from him letting out a Julia Roberts squeal.   
  
"Come on," he said, pouncing in front of her, laughing, "My interest is purely psychological."  
  
"Sure it is," she said sarcastically, even as the sound of his laughter warmed her heart.   
  
"That's alright. I don't need you to show me anyway," he remarked matter-of- factly, crouching before her, staring with mock intent at her beltline, "I bet you didn't know I have X-ray vision, did you Max. Hm. Never would've pegged you for a 'thong' girl."  
  
She giggled, placing a hand on top of his head and when he stilled beneath the gesture, she tested the waters, tangling her fingers through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp.   
  
His mind instantly began to swim, floating unfocused on a flood of bittersweet sensations from the night before. Knees dropped heavy to the ground and he drifted closer and closer, jerking back in surprise when his cheek brushed against her stomach, unaware of his advance.  
  
"I'm.," he whispered, closing his eyes, vainly trying to gain control of his voice.  
  
Max slipped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him to her, accepting the now familiar urge to protect the cocky X5. Even from himself.   
  
Especially from himself.  
  
"Sh."   
  
Her small waist disappeared within his strong embrace, as she silently rocked him softly from side to side.  
  
"Why did you run?"  
  
Max felt her heart sink. All that night she debated whether or not to be there when he woke up, but by dawn she had herself convinced he wouldn't want her there. Even then she found it difficult to leave his side and almost changed her mind, but when he began to awaken, she panicked.  
  
Flew wildly out the door, stopping only to grab her shoes from the living room on the way out. Actually went so far as to push her bike for several blocks before starting it, knowing he would recognize her baby's purr.  
  
"Max?" he muffled into her shirt.  
  
"I didn't think I'd be welcome."   
  
Alec loosened his hold.  
  
  
  
"You've made it pretty clear in the past that you don't want my help and I guess I just figured dragging you out of Crash, driving you home, carrying you to bed and playing Nurse Betty all night kind of violated your wishes."  
  
He slowly stood listening to her validly use his 'stay away from me' spiel to excuse her hasty retreat.  
  
"I was scared," she admitted looking at his shoulder, "of my feelings, of how you'd react to them. I know how hard it is for you to trust, Alec and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin what little you had in me."   
  
She thought he didn't trust her? Guess he hadn't given her much cause to believe otherwise, but truth be told, he trusted her more than anyone - to do the right thing, to make the right choices, to keep him in line. When it came right down to it, he trusted her more than he trusted himself.   
  
Alec let go of her hips and turned his palms up staring at them while he waited for the words, then took a half breath and faced her.   
  
"I've killed people," he began quietly, soul pouring from his eyes, "so many people," Alec tilted his head away. "They were missions. Orders. That's all they were to me. Orders. They're dead and I'm here . living. Where is the justice in that, Max?" his jumbled thoughts spilled as if overflowed.   
  
Max froze. He was opening up to her, trusting her with his innermost torments and she was frozen.  
  
Solid.  
  
"And I keep thinking, maybe he'd be alive. Mr. Berrisford. If he'd been given that justice, Max, if you hadn't stopped him, if you would've just let him ."  
  
His voice trailed off to nothing. Her eyes went wide.  
  
"No," she stressed, finally kick started into action, "You think that would've have been justice? You think that would have guaranteed Berrisford's life? Probably would have made him do it sooner," she waited for the words to sink in before she continued, "When you did those things, your mind wasn't your own. It belonged to Manticore. They conditioned you from infancy to do their bidding, not yours. One could no more blame you than a gun or a knife. But you see what they didn't count on, what neither they nor you even knew existed, was your heart. And when you found it, from wherever it had been hiding, you became whole. That's when they lost you, Alec. You're not a killer. You never were. You just didn't know yourself."  
  
The sound of trickling water that had gone largely unnoticed now provided a soothing interlude. Max watched his expression shift back and forth from hope to disbelief, finally settling on something that resembled tentative acceptance.  
  
Max tugged on his jacket sleeve, "You're going to be okay," echoing her sentiment from the night before.  
  
Alec nodded slowly, a small smile forming, "We both are," he added, believing the promise held in her eyes.   
  
Max allowed herself a tiny smirk, "So," she said with an eyebrow wiggle, "Asha got hers. When are you gonna thank me?"  
  
"Oh, my dear Max," Alec started playfully. Then his voice deepened, becoming sensuously serious, "I think I'd rather please you."  
  
She froze again. Or was it a shiver?  
  
His eyes roamed her slowly from bottom to top finally settling on her lips, concentrating on them fully. He cradled her face and her mouth opened instinctively, awaiting its reward, but when he was a breath away he stopped, savoring the anticipation, merely brushing the fullness of his lower lip lightly against hers.   
  
Pulling back slightly, he bit the flavor she left behind. The low rumbling moan that followed sent a charge through every nerve in her body, converging in her chest. Her answering sigh brought his mouth back to hers, which he now took completely, his tongue leaving tingling trails along the inside.   
  
As their tongues danced, he inhaled deeply, breathing through her. Filling him with a feeling of life he'd only tasted before.  
  
Heady in its depths of passion and joy, Max lost herself in his touch.   
  
His hands  
  
Fanning slowly up her sides and over her back.   
  
His hands   
  
Clutching her softly as though she might disappear.   
  
His hands   
  
Brushing hair from her face with such reverence it brought a tear to her eye.  
  
They shared an intense gaze that could only be described as love and then came together again, making up for lost time with each passionate kiss and tender embrace.   
  
**********   
  
Asha watched quietly from the cracked door. She put a hand over her heart and sighed.   
  
*Beautiful*   
  
The tell-tale whir that approached from behind and left twice as fast put a smile on her face.   
  
*Guess he believes it now*   
  
Max got her man.   
  
And unless she missed her mark, Sketchy got his.   
  
Asha afforded herself one last appreciative glance at the sensuous display, before bouncing to the bar.  
  
Now it was her turn.  
  
  
  
  
  
the end 


End file.
